ACLU 'thrilled' with high court's voter ID ruling LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Opponents of Arkansas' voter identification law are praising a state high court ruling that found the measure unconstitutional. Holly Dickson is legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, which sued over the law passed last year by the Legislature. Dickson says the ACLU is "thrilled" that the Arkansas Supreme Court struck down the law Wednesday. Dickson called the law "an unconstitutional barrier that ...

Wal-Mart lowers revenue outlook for year Wal-Mart Stores Inc. says a tougher sales environment will hurt its revenue this fiscal year. The retailer already warned investors in February that it would come in at the low end of its earlier forecast of 3 to 5 percent gains. Wal-Mart said Wednesday that it now expects its revenue will be up 2 to 3 percent over the prior fiscal year, when it generated $473.1 billion. That calculates to a forecast of roughly $482.6 billion to $487.3 billion...

'Private option' enrollment jumps to nearly 205K LITTLE ROCK (AP) — The Arkansas Department of Human Service says nearly 205,000 people have enrolled in the state's Medicaid expansion program that extends health care coverage to low-income residents. The department announced Wednesday that 204,811 people had completed enrollment in the "private option" program as of Sept. 30. That's an increase of more than 10,000 from the Aug. 31 tally. The agency says the majority of enrollees are between ...

Arkansas high court strikes down voter ID law LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas' highest court on Wednesday struck down a state law that requires voters to show photo identification before casting a ballot, ruling the requirement unconstitutional just days before early voting begins for the Nov. 4 election. In a decision that could have major implications in the state's election, the state Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling that determined the law unconstitutionally added a requirement f...

Commissioner Thurston reminds property owners of tax deadlineLITTLE ROCK — Commissioner of State Lands John Thurston today reminds Arkansas property owners to pay 2013 personal property and real estate taxes by the Oct. 15 deadline. “Real estate taxes that have not been paid by close of business Wednesday, Oct. 15, are considered delinquent,” Thurston said. “If taxes remain unpaid on a property for two years, the county must certify that property to the Land Commissioner’s office, where the owner can re...

Hogs pull close, but can't beat No. 7 Tide FAYETTEVILLE (AP) — Bret Bielema has become all too adept at dealing with painful losses during his short time at Arkansas. They haven't become any easier to handle for the second-year Razorbacks coach, who fought back tears after a 14-13 loss to No. 7 Alabama on Saturday night. The loss was the 15th straight in Southeastern Conference play for Arkansas (3-3, 0-3 SEC), a stretch that includes 12 in a row under Bielema. The Razorbacks have impr...

Hot Springs man killed in crash near Bismarck BISMARCK (AP) — Arkansas State Police say a Hot Springs man was killed in a head-on collision involving three vehicles on State Highway 7 near Bismarck. A state police report said Jeff Durand Smith, 49, died in the three-vehicle collision on Friday. The report says Smith was southbound when a northbound vehicle crossed the centerline of the highway and collided with the vehicle Smith was driving and another southbound vehicle. The report says ...

Child injured in fall into zoo exhibit improves LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A 3-year-old who was critically injured after falling into a Little Rock Zoo exhibit and being bitten by jaguars was improving Saturday, hospital officials said. "The child's condition has been upgraded to stable and is expected to improve," Arkansas Children's Hospital spokesman Dan McFadden said in a statement. The child's guardian has asked that the name and other information about the child not be released, McFadden said...

Judge to issue rulings in machete attack case FORT SMITH (AP) — A Sebastian County judge in the case of a man charged with killing two men with a machete says he'll issue written rulings on defense motions in the case. The Times Record reported that Judge Stephen Tabor told attorneys for 21-year-old Gregory Aaron Kinsey that he expects to issue rulings by Tuesday. Kinsey is charged with two counts of capital murder in the June 2013 deaths of Brandon Prince and Nathan Young. Defense attorn...

Newspaper corrects bear attack error made in 1852 NEWTON, N.J. (AP) — A New Jersey newspaper has issued a correction for a story it published in 1852 about a bear mauling a teenage boy to death. The story didn't list a location of the bear attack, making it appear it happened in New Jersey. The New Jersey Herald wrote in Thursday's correction it actually happened in Arkansas. Herald Executive Editor Bruce Tomlinson said a reader pointed out the error when the newspaper re-published the story ...

Judge: Signatures OK in Arkansas minimum wage case LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Backers of a measure to raise Arkansas' minimum wage gathered enough valid signatures to qualify for the November ballot, a special judge said Friday, dealing a blow to opponents who hope to block the proposal from going before voters next month. But opponents are hopeful the Arkansas Supreme Court will disagree with the judge's recommendation and throw out 8,500 names because a notary's signature had been forged. The Arkans...

Convicted arsonist sentenced to 16 years in prison LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A woman who pleaded guilty to setting fires at a Little Rock apartment complex has been sentenced to 16 years in prison. U.S. Attorney Christopher Thyer said Lacey Rae Moore, 44, was sentenced Friday in addition to being ordered to pay more than $12.5 million in restitution for damage caused by the fires. Moore pleaded guilty in August to two counts of an eight-count indictment that charged her with setting seven fires at Fo...

Cotton farmers urged to report storm damage JONESBORO (AP) — Cotton farmers in northeast Arkansas are being urged to report damage to their crop as a result of a hail storm, while officials seek a disaster declaration. State Rep. Homer Lenderman, D-Brookland, told The Jonesboro Sun that any farmer with any damage from the storm needs to file a report with the Farm Service Agency and the Cooperative Extension Service so a total number will be available for disaster declaration purposes. ...

Homeless veterans shelter receives grant LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A $183,750 grant has been approved by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for a homeless veterans shelter in Arkansas. Members of Arkansas' congressional delegation announced the grant on Thursday for St. Francis House, which provides services for chronically mentally ill homeless veterans in Little Rock. The funding comes from VA's Grant and Per Diem Program Special Need Grants. The grants allow organizations to continu...

Huckabee backs Cotton at Fort Smith rally FORT SMITH (AP) — Former Gov. Mike Huckabee says he wants Arkansas voters to have something to celebrate on election night. The ex-governor visited Fort Smith on Thursday to endorse U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton in his challenge for a U.S. Senate seat. Huckabee's visit comes just days after former President Bill Clinton campaigned for Democratic candidates in Conway, Jonesboro, Fayetteville and Rogers. Cotton and Huckabee were joined by U.S. Sen. John ...

High court considering Arkansas alcohol measure LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A lawyer for the group challenging a proposed constitutional amendment that would legalize alcohol sales statewide told Arkansas' highest court Thursday that the secretary of state should have opened his office on Independence Day to process petitions and avoid missing a key deadline. Citizens for Local Rights argues that petitions in support of the measure are invalid because they were accepted the next business day. Under ...

Cotton raises $3.8M in 3rd quarter for Senate bid LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton's campaign on Tuesday said he's raised nearly $4 million over the past three months as he heads into the final weeks of his bid for a U.S. Senate seat. Cotton's campaign said the freshman lawmaker raised $3.8 million during the third quarter. Cotton is seeking to unseat Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor, who's running for a third term. Pryor has not yet announced how much he raised during th...

Ross, Hutchinson trade jabs on tax cuts, wage hike LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Republican gubernatorial hopeful Asa Hutchinson derided Democratic rival Mike Ross' tax cut plan as "pie in the sky," while Ross accused Hutchinson of acting like a "slick lawyer" in his support for a minimum wage hike as the two squared off in a debate Tuesday. The two ex-congressmen traded jabs over a range of issues as they met for their second televised debate of the heated and expensive Arkansas governor's race. The two...

Couples ask Arkansas court to strike marriage ban LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Attorneys for gay couples challenging Arkansas' same-sex marriage ban told the state's highest court on Tuesday that the U.S. Supreme Court signaled it agrees with their argument that such prohibitions are unconstitutional by declining to take up similar cases. The 20 couples asked the Arkansas Supreme Court to uphold Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza's ruling striking down a 2004 constitutional amendment and earlier...

Bill Clinton rallies Arkansas college students FAYETTEVILLE (AP) — Former President Bill Clinton returned to his old haunts of northwestern Arkansas on Tuesday and implored college students to support Democrats at risk of losing what's left of the political power they have held since Reconstruction. Next to the building where he once taught law, Clinton challenged students at the University of Arkansas to turn out for an election without a big national race. "The polls that show us in trou...